


Interest

by TempusPetrichor



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen, M/M, Post-Movie: Pacific Rim (2013), Pre-Slash, Science Boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24955843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TempusPetrichor/pseuds/TempusPetrichor
Summary: "We’re two sides of the same coin, you know? Brilliant scientists treated as oddballs while trying to save the world.""Oh, don’t be so kind to yourself.""Hey, man, I was trying to be nice!"Newt thinks they could Drift. Hermann knows it.
Relationships: Newton Geiszler & Hermann Gottlieb, Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	Interest

**Author's Note:**

> Back at it again with the New-mann's :) I still haven't seen PR in forever, so I hope this does the canon justice.  
> As always, I'm open to that sweet-n-salty constructive criticism. I hope you enjoy it!

“I bet we’re Drift compatible.”

Even if the statement itself weren’t surprising, it being spoken apropos of nothing would be. For once, Newton was working silently, and Hermann wishes he could write an equation that foretold these days as accurately as the one predicting the arrival of the next kaiju. The frankly jarring statement makes Hermann push hard enough to chip the end of his chalk in shock. He looks over at Newton, elbow deep in kaiju _something._

_"What_?”

"I said—”

“I _heard_ what you said, Newton. Why on Earth would you believe that?”

“Well, I mean,” Newton’s hands are still sorting through kaiju remains, but his feet have started shifting too. “We’re two sides of the same coin, you know? Brilliant scientists treated as oddballs while trying to save the world.”

“Oh, don’t be so kind to yourself.” Acknowledging how the half-compliment sends a rush of warmth through his abdomen is the first step to addressing an entire romantic dilemma that Hermann’s not in the mood to sort through right now.

“Hey, man, I was trying to be nice! I still bet it’s true. Whether you admit you believe it or not, Herms, we’re a matching set—two peas in a pod. You know what, I’ll even put my money where my mouth is. I’ll bet you a hundred bucks we’re compatible.”

Hermann can’t help rolling his eyes, trying to hide the creeping feeling of blush. “Such a shame we’ll never be able to test your theory. Perhaps you should stick to biology and leave the theoretical to those schooled in it.”

-

Hermann runs the calculations by hand. It’s not that he really _cares_ what the results are, but he’s not going to turn his back on an opportunity to prove Newton wrong for once. (For someone with a doctorate in biology and chemistry and who knows what else, Newton has an aptitude for poking holes in Hermann’s physics-based theorems.) Sure, it may satisfy an additional academic curiosity, but there’s no personal attachment. There is, however, _no way_ he’s going to run it through the official system—Newton would surely find out. If Hermann needs more information (which he doubts—he knows Newton exceptionally well, perhaps better than himself), it’s easier to explain breaking into his colleague’s file than running a Drift-compatibility simulation between two non-pilots that are _supposed_ to hate each other. In the end, the numbers show they are compatible— _scarily_ so—but Hermann says nothing. (He cannot admit defeat to Newton.) Which is fine, since the conversation has never resurfaced, and there’s no reason the two would ever need to Drift anyways. 

-

After finding Newton seizing on the floor of their lab, there is _zero possibility_ of Newton Drifting by himself. There’s no one else around who’s desperate enough (or _stupid_ enough) to Drift with a kaiju, and Hermann already knows they’re safely compatible. Newton either doesn’t think about it (the world is ending—it’s understandable), or he still believes he’s right. ( _Or_ he trusts Hermann to know. That’s something to ponder in the future—if they have one.)

-

“Alright, Herms, time to pay up.”

It’s another statement out of nowhere, but after being in Newton’s head, _being Newton_ , Hermann knows precisely what he’s talking about. It doesn’t mean Newton has to know that though. They’re sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the floor in an abandoned hallway. The rest of the Shatterdome is celebrating the closure of the Breach, but they’re both just so _tired._ Hermann isn’t sure where one exhaustion ends and the other begins—it’s bleeding through the Drift bond. Impossibly, Newton is still in his constant state of motion. 

“’ Pay up?’ What are you talking about, Newton? Shall I take you to Medical?”

“Nah, Herms. I’m fiiiiiiiine.” Newton draws out the ‘eye’ with a wave of his hand. “Don’t you remember, way back when, I said we were Drift-compatible? And you said no? And I bet you cold hard cash? It’s time to pay up, man. One hundred big ones.”

“I never said no.”

“Yeah, but you _implied_ it. You questioned my thought process.”

“I _always_ question your thought process. Or your lack of it.”

“We made it in one piece, didn’t we? More or less.” Newton shifts his shoulder slightly in something akin to a shrug.

“’ _More or less_.’”

“Why are you avoiding this, Herms? This is _huge_! We could pilot a Jaeger someday! You could try out your own code first-hand!”

Hermann can’t help but sigh. “I’ve known for months, Newton.”

“You’ve _what?_ ” Newton’s shocked face whipping around to face him would be comical if Hermann wasn’t dreading this conversation.

“I ran a Drift-compatibility test after you mentioned it. Turns out we’re in the highest percentile, as demonstrated by earlier today.”

“ _Dude,_ you ran a D-COMS? Why didn’t I get a notification? That’s awesome!”

“I did it by hand, Newton.”

“Why would you—? That had to have taken for- _e_ -ver _._ ”

“Well, yes, but we were in a lull and not expecting any kaiju for weeks. I had time, and I didn’t feel that sharing the results with the rest of the Shatterdome was necessary.” Confession completed, Hermann rubs his thumb over the head of his cane, waiting for the inevitable argument to ensue.

“Hermann,” Newton’s voice is softer, tinged with curiosity instead of overflowing with the anger Hermann expected. “Were you scared to share the results with me?”

“No.” The second of hesitation reveals more than Hermann could say with an affirmative answer.

“Don’t lie to me, Hermann—not anymore. I can feel it through the Drift bond. You were always a terrible liar anyway.”

“Hiding something and lying are two different things.”

“It’s okay if you were—I was too.” Hermann isn’t sure whether Newton is referring to his fear or hiding something. He suspects it’s a combination of the two.

“Why?”

“Well, you’re the math guy, you know? And numbers are perfect, and biology is messy, and _I_ am messy. I—I wasn’t sure you’d want that.” The implication of numbers is not lost on Hermann, even though Newton left the rest of the analogy unsaid.

“I suppose you were wrong after all then.” Hermann reaches over and threads his fingers through Newton’s. Hermann doesn’t need to look at Newton to know he’s beaming. There’s something light and warm like sunshine floating through the Drift bond, and Newton is brushing his thumb across Hermann’s.

“Does this mean I can charge interest on my hundred bucks?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!  
> I love all you wonderful people & please hit me up anytime--I would love to hear from you :)


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